1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solid-state image sensor, and an image sensing apparatus including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, as digital still cameras and digital video cameras are downsized and improved in resolution, the number of pixels built into solid-state image sensor has increased. With this increase in the number of pixels, the number of signals read from the solid-state image sensor per unit time has also increased. Further, strong demand has arisen for high-speed continuous shooting in which a plurality of object images are shot continuously. Hence, it is necessary to raise the rate of signal read from solid-state image sensors.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-311821 discloses a high-rate read technique for a solid-state image sensor. More specifically, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-311821 discloses a solid-state image sensor which includes a plurality of column readout lines provided to each column in a pixel array, and can simultaneously read signals in a plurality of rows of the pixel array by simultaneously activating those rows. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-311821 merely discloses a mechanism in which each column in a pixel array includes a plurality of column readout lines, and does not disclose any layout diagram that shows the structure of pixels.